Meditate! Meditate! Meditate! Or miss the point...

We are delighted to introduce our guest blogger Dr. Fleur Appleby-Deen:
Meditate! Meditate! Meditate! Or miss the point...

'I can't do meditation, my mind is too busy'.

You would not believe how frequently this is a comment I hear from yogis!

It's the equivalent of saying, 'I can't do yoga, my hamstrings are too tight.'

That is exactly why you need to stretch your hamstrings and your busy mind is exactly why you need to meditate!

Although good yoga teachers will consistently remind their students that yoga is not about fancy poses, the sad fact is that much yoga practice is about getting a toned body and impressing mates with a headstand. But we are drastically missing the point if our yoga practice does not include some form of regular meditation.

Done properly, Asana practice is a meditation on the breath and the sensations in the body, but it takes a while to be comfortable enough with the basics of the pose before the internal benefits can be felt.

Meditation is crucial to surviving the stress of daily living in our society. It switches the physiological stress response off, refreshes the senses and allows us to connect with a higher intelligence and intuition. Research continues to establish the efficacy of meditation in treating many stress-related conditions, from headaches to insomnia. The recognized benefits are too widespread and numerous to list here.

But still, we resist. Not due to lack of time but because when we close our eyes and sit still, it can feel pretty darned uncomfortable. Suddenly there is no barrier between awareness, feelings and racing thoughts. It can feel really rough and we resist like crazy! The good news is that sticking with the feelings and breathing through whatever comes up is the way to change our lives, the way to peace, happiness, joy and connection. There is no bad news.

It usually take some practice before finding the blissful space that lies on the other side of feelings, but then it takes practice to do a headstand too. Have the courage to sit still with yourselves; I promise in time you will be so glad you did.

Dr. Fleur Appleby-Deen, a medically trained doctor, aims to help people maximise their own well-being using methods such as yoga and meditation. For more information visit drfleur.co.uk